Lake District Winter Climbs

Essential guidebook to the best winter climbing routes in the Lake District. All the known routes in every part of the Lakes are described. From classic high-mountain gullies and buttresses on crags such as Scafell, Pillar and Great Gable to frozen watercourses and icefalls including Great Gully on the Wasdale screes.

More Images

# # # # # #

Event · 5 Dec 2020 - 5 Apr 2021

Book a Lake District Winter Skills Course on Helvellyn

An opportunity to spend a day on Helvellyn with a Lake District National Park Fell Top Assessor as they climb to the summit of the mountain to take snow and weather readings for...

Overview

Lake District Winter Climbs is a joint production by the Fell and Rock Climbing Club and Cicerone Press. It is the definitive guide to winter climbing in the Lake District; every known winter climb from every part of the Lake District is described - nearly 1000 routes in all, illustrated on detailed colour photo-topos. These range from classic high-mountain gullies and buttresses on crags such as Scafell, Pillar, and Great Gable to frozen watercourses and icefalls including Great Gully on the Wasdale Screes, Launchy Gill, Low Water Beck and Cautley Spout. And, of course, popular venues like Great End and the Eastern Coves of the Helvellyn Escarpment are described in detail. Included too are several routes in outlying Cumbria. There are also sections on winter equipment, winter climbing and conservation, climbing walls, accommodation, and a first ascent list that includes masses of interesting historical research.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Maps and diagrams in this guide
Location map
Map key
Editor’s note

Introduction

Conditions
Winter ethics
Winter climbing styles
Where to climb?
Equipment
Winter grades
Dry tooling grades
Using this guide
First ascents or first claims?

South Lakes

Langdale

Oxendale
Bowfell
Langdale Pikes

Coniston

Dow
The Old Man Of Coniston
Wetherlam
Tilberthwaite and The Slate Quarries

West Lakes

Eskdale

Little Narrow Cove

Wasdale

Scafell Massif
Scafell
Scafell Pike
Lingmell
Mosedale
Western Wasdale

Ennerdale

Mirklin Cove
Mirk Cove and Wind Gap Cove
Pillar

Great Gable and Kirk Fell

Gable South
Gable North
Kirk Fell

Buttermere

Honister Pass
Fleetwith Pike – North Face
Warnscale Bottom
Birkness Combe
Bleaberry Combe
Grasmoor
Newlands
Coledale
Whinlatter

North Lakes

Borrowdale

Borrowdale East
Great End Area
Borrowdale West

Northern Fells

Skiddaw
Blencathra (Saddleback)
Carrock Fell

Thirlmere

East Lakes

Helvellyn Massif

Helvellyn
Nethermost Cove
Ruthwaite Cove
Cock Cove
Dollywaggon

Patterdale and Adjacent Valleys

Patterdale – East
Patterdale – West
Grisedale
Deepdale
Sleet Cove
Dovedale
Kirkstone Pass

Far Eastern Fells

Mardale
Blea Water
Riggindale
Whelter Bottom
Swindale
Longsleddale
Kentmere

Outlying Areas

The Howgills

Northern Pennines

Dry Tooling Routes

First Ascents

Appendix A Winter Climbing and Nature Conservation
Appendix B Procedure for Mountain Accidents
Appendix C Useful Contacts
Appendix D Campsites and Camping Barns
Appendix E Climbing Walls

Index of Routes

Updates

Subscribe to updates by email
Be notified by email when this book receives an update or correction

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

Reviews

'Covering over 200 peaks, the book describes almost every inch of routes up some of the Lakes most famous mountains.'

The Westmorland Gazette, January 2013

'...Brian has built up an impressive and in depth knowledge of the Lake District which he brings to you in the form of this book. ...jam packed with useful info including info on the surrounding flora and fauna and how to maximise the potential of your photos!'

UNDO Climbing Blog, January 2013

Downloads

Trade Information